Abstract
Influences from the mother on offspring phenotype, known as maternal effects, are an important cause of adaptive phenotypic plasticity [1, 2]. Eusocial insects show dramatic phenotypic plasticity with morphologically distinct reproductive (queen) and worker castes [3, 4]. The dominant paradigm for honeybees (Apis mellifera) is that castes are environmentally rather than genetically determined, with the environment and diet of young larvae causing caste differentiation [5–9]. A role for maternal effects has not been considered, but here we show that egg size also influences queen development. Queens laid significantly bigger eggs in the larger queen cells than in the worker cells. Eggs laid in queen cells (QE), laid in worker cells (WE), and 2-day old larvae from worker cells (2L) were transferred to artificial queen cells to be reared as queens in a standardized environment. Newly emerged adult queens from QE were heavier than those from the other two groups and had more ovarioles, indicating a consequence of egg size for adult queen morphology. Gene expression analyses identified several significantly differentially expressed genes between newly emerged queens from QE and those from the other groups. These included a disproportionate number of genes involved in hormonal signaling, body development, and immune pathways, which are key traits differing between queens and workers. That egg size influences emerging queen morphology and physiology and that queens lay larger eggs in queen cells demonstrate both a maternal effect on the expression of the queen phenotype and a more active role for the queen in gyne production than has been realized previously.
| Language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages | 2208-2213 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Current Biology |
| Volume | 29 |
| Issue number | 13 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 8 Jul 2019 |
Fingerprint
Keywords
- honey bees
- maternal effect
- egg size
- queen quality
- gene expression
Cite this
}
A maternal effect on queen production in honeybees. / Wei, Hao; He, Xu Jiang; Liao, Chun Hua; Wu, Xiao Bo; Jiang, Wu Jun; Zhang, Bo; Zhou, Lin Bin; Zhang, Li Zhen; Barron, Andrew B.; Zeng, Zhi Jiang.
In: Current Biology, Vol. 29, No. 13, 08.07.2019, p. 2208-2213.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer-review
TY - JOUR
T1 - A maternal effect on queen production in honeybees
AU - Wei, Hao
AU - He, Xu Jiang
AU - Liao, Chun Hua
AU - Wu, Xiao Bo
AU - Jiang, Wu Jun
AU - Zhang, Bo
AU - Zhou, Lin Bin
AU - Zhang, Li Zhen
AU - Barron, Andrew B.
AU - Zeng, Zhi Jiang
PY - 2019/7/8
Y1 - 2019/7/8
N2 - Influences from the mother on offspring phenotype, known as maternal effects, are an important cause of adaptive phenotypic plasticity [1, 2]. Eusocial insects show dramatic phenotypic plasticity with morphologically distinct reproductive (queen) and worker castes [3, 4]. The dominant paradigm for honeybees (Apis mellifera) is that castes are environmentally rather than genetically determined, with the environment and diet of young larvae causing caste differentiation [5–9]. A role for maternal effects has not been considered, but here we show that egg size also influences queen development. Queens laid significantly bigger eggs in the larger queen cells than in the worker cells. Eggs laid in queen cells (QE), laid in worker cells (WE), and 2-day old larvae from worker cells (2L) were transferred to artificial queen cells to be reared as queens in a standardized environment. Newly emerged adult queens from QE were heavier than those from the other two groups and had more ovarioles, indicating a consequence of egg size for adult queen morphology. Gene expression analyses identified several significantly differentially expressed genes between newly emerged queens from QE and those from the other groups. These included a disproportionate number of genes involved in hormonal signaling, body development, and immune pathways, which are key traits differing between queens and workers. That egg size influences emerging queen morphology and physiology and that queens lay larger eggs in queen cells demonstrate both a maternal effect on the expression of the queen phenotype and a more active role for the queen in gyne production than has been realized previously.
AB - Influences from the mother on offspring phenotype, known as maternal effects, are an important cause of adaptive phenotypic plasticity [1, 2]. Eusocial insects show dramatic phenotypic plasticity with morphologically distinct reproductive (queen) and worker castes [3, 4]. The dominant paradigm for honeybees (Apis mellifera) is that castes are environmentally rather than genetically determined, with the environment and diet of young larvae causing caste differentiation [5–9]. A role for maternal effects has not been considered, but here we show that egg size also influences queen development. Queens laid significantly bigger eggs in the larger queen cells than in the worker cells. Eggs laid in queen cells (QE), laid in worker cells (WE), and 2-day old larvae from worker cells (2L) were transferred to artificial queen cells to be reared as queens in a standardized environment. Newly emerged adult queens from QE were heavier than those from the other two groups and had more ovarioles, indicating a consequence of egg size for adult queen morphology. Gene expression analyses identified several significantly differentially expressed genes between newly emerged queens from QE and those from the other groups. These included a disproportionate number of genes involved in hormonal signaling, body development, and immune pathways, which are key traits differing between queens and workers. That egg size influences emerging queen morphology and physiology and that queens lay larger eggs in queen cells demonstrate both a maternal effect on the expression of the queen phenotype and a more active role for the queen in gyne production than has been realized previously.
KW - honey bees
KW - maternal effect
KW - egg size
KW - queen quality
KW - gene expression
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85068194667&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.cub.2019.05.059
DO - 10.1016/j.cub.2019.05.059
M3 - Article
VL - 29
SP - 2208
EP - 2213
JO - Current Biology
T2 - Current Biology
JF - Current Biology
SN - 0960-9822
IS - 13
ER -